Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church 2016 Pre-Conference Journal 1 Greetings Friends, Grace and peace to you as we all prepare for our 2016 Texas Annual Conference. As we gather this May 29 – June 1, 2016, we will be reflecting on the seeds we have planted together, the roots that have deepened, the branches that we have grown from Haiti to Kenya from the Philippines to Costa Rica and many points between. Three extraordinary leaders will join us to guide us in reviewing our 3 areas of focus: 1. Cultivate Growing, Fruitful, Missional Congregations – Rev. Dr. Ruben Saenz, 2. Form Transforming Lay and Clergy Leaders – Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, and 3. Invest in the Young – Rev. Tom Berlin. Rev. Dr. Ruben Saenz has a Master and a Doctor of Divinity degrees from SMU Perkins School of Theology. He served at La Trinidad UMC and El Divino Redentor UMC in El Paso where he increased worship attendance by 200 percent over four years. He later pastored El Buen UMC -- known as the largest Hispanic-American United Methodist Church in the country with over 900 members. As Executive Director of the Mission Vitality Center, he is responsible for the Rio Texas conference’s missional objectives. Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey grew up in a Hispanic neighborhood and received a call to ministry while attending Foundry UMC in Houston. She is the first non-Catholic in her family. With a degree in Journalism from the University of Texas, Cynthia believes her curiosity serves her well as a leader and her creativity spurs a personal commitment to innovate and to see, and inspire others to see what is possible. She was elected Bishop and assigned to the Louisiana Conference in 2012 after serving the General Conference and as Director of Missional Excellence of the Texas Annual Conference. Tom Berlin is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the Candler School of Theology. He has served churches of all sizes and currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Floris United Methodist Church in Virginia, a church committed to reaching out to the local community and the world. Floris UMC is actively partnering with a local school in a way that is an example to all. Through international outreach, the church has established the Child Rescue Centre for war-displaced children and Mercy Hospital in partnership with the Sierra Leone Annual Conference. I am sure you will be inspired and encouraged by what these gifted preachers and teachers bring to us. I look forward to sharing this time with you in what will be my twelfth and final annual conference in the Texas Annual Conference. It will be a time of reviewing what we have sown but also of looking forward to all the tilling left to be done on God’s good earth to build His Kingdom. May God bless you and keep you. Bishop Janice Riggle Huie 2 Preliminary Reports 2016 Texas Annual Conference To be held at Hilton Americas-Houston May 29-June 1, 2016 Janice Riggle Huie, Bishop ALL CLERGY & LAY REGISTRATION Sunday, May 29 2:00 – 6:00 pm Monday, May 30 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Hilton Americas-Houston - Fourth Floor Meeting of the Laity Monday, May 29, 10:00 am Hilton Americas-Houston – Ballroom of the Americas Second Floor Meeting of the Clergy Monday, May 30, 10:15 am Hilton Americas-Houston – Grand Ballroom Fourth Floor Service of Remembrance Monday, May 30, 1:30 pm Hilton Americas-Houston – Grand Ballroom Fourth Floor 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Bishop’s Welcome ......................................................................................................................................... 2 TAC 2016 Opening Events ............................................................................................................................. 3 Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 4-6 Annual Conference Preliminary Announcements ..................................................................................... 7-8 Directions & Map ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Hilton Americas-Houston Floorplan ............................................................................................................ 10 Parking ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Restaurants ............................................................................................................................................ 12-13 Conference Rules & Structure ............................................................................................................... 14-22 Registration Information ............................................................................................................................. 23 Annual Conference Preliminary Agenda ............................................................................................... 24-25 Preliminary Schedule of Special Events ................................................................................................. 26-27 Display Participants ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Hotel Room Assignments ............................................................................................................................ 29 Preliminary Consent Calendar ............................................................................................................... 30-31 Resolutions ............................................................................................................................................ 32-35 Reports- Assistant to the Bishop ............................................................................................................................. 36 Communications ..................................................................................................................................... 36 Nominations Committee ................................................................................................................... 37-44 Conference Lay Leader ............................................................................................................................ 45 Core Leadership Team ............................................................................................................................ 45 Center for Clergy Excellence-Gail Ford Smith ........................................................................................... 46 Clergy Accountability Ministries ............................................................................................................. 46 Sexual Ethics ...................................................................................................................................... 46-47 Birkman Personality & Leadership Style Assessment Task Force ........................................................... 47 Clergy Development & Spiritual Formation ............................................................................................ 48 Clergy Recruitment ........................................................................................................................... 48-49 Board of Ordained Ministry .............................................................................................................. 49-50 Extension Ministries .......................................................................................................................... 50-51 Intentional Interim Ministry .................................................................................................................... 51 Equitable Compensation ................................................................................................................... 52-61 Group Health Benefits ...................................................................................................................... 62-76 Group Health Audit ................................................................................................................................. 77 Board of Pensions ............................................................................................................................. 78-98 Pensions Audit ........................................................................................................................................ 99 Centers for Congregational –Jesse Brannen ........................................................................................... 100 Vibrant Church Initiative ....................................................................................................................... 100 New Church Development .................................................................................................................... 101 Youth/Young Adults ...................................................................................................................... 101-102 Age-Level & Camping Ministries ........................................................................................................... 102 Faith-Forming Relationships & Spiritual Formation...................................................................... 102-104 Radical Hospitality ................................................................................................................................